Nigeria is finally set to receive a shipment of leprosy drugs, ending a year-long delay that has left thousands of patients without access to life-saving treatment.
The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that the drugs, which were held up due to bureaucratic delays and new testing regulations, will arrive in Nigeria on March 9.
Nigeria reports over 1,000 cases of leprosy every year, making it one of the countries with the highest number of cases globally. Leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease, is a curable bacterial infection that affects the skin, nerves, and eyes.
However, if left untreated, it can cause permanent disability and disfiguring sores.
The delay in receiving the drugs has had devastating consequences for patients, many of whom have been forced to go without treatment for months.
Awwal Musa, a patient at ERCC Hospital in Nasarawa state, said her health has deteriorated significantly since her treatment stopped.
“Before last year, my wounds were getting healed, but now they are getting worse. The pain is worse,” she said.
Health workers at ERCC Hospital have been working to prevent patients from becoming permanently disabled, but they face significant challenges.
“If they lose their fingers, where are you going to get the fingers and give them again? If they lose their sight, who will give them sight? The complications are increasing day by day,” said Kuzeh Thomas, a director at the hospital.
The WHO has warned that the delay in receiving the drugs highlights the vulnerability of the global system for distributing leprosy medications.
The U.N. special rapporteur for leprosy, Beatriz Miranda-Galarza, said that while the system appears well-structured on paper, it faces significant structural and political challenges in practice.
